


Mispronounced Names

by capt_ann



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Barista Lance (Voltron), But it gets better I swear, College Student Keith (Voltron), M/M, Pilot Shiro (Voltron), The first chapters a little rusty, thats not too important tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 23:13:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15784086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capt_ann/pseuds/capt_ann
Summary: Another classic Coffee Shop AU :)•••Keith moves in to a new city and chooses his designated Starbucks just like he’s done so for years. The only difference this time? He got off on the wrong foot with the barista and things have only just begun.





	Mispronounced Names

**_Day One, Keith:_ **

 

A soft sigh left Keith's mouth as he pushed the door to his new Starbucks open. Technically, it wasn't ‘his’ Starbucks. Keith had recently moved into town and, just like he did previously, he had mentally chosen a Coffee Shop as his go-to place. Whether he was cramming for a test, finishing an essay, just bored or anything of that sort.

 

Truth be told, he didn't drink too much coffee, he usually just sat there or ordered something else or nothing besides one small coffee. The reason he had moved to a different city was because of college, and that same college was the reason he was in the coffee shop. He had a project due two days after, which he had not started yet.

 

After setting down his laptop and bag on a nearby table and hoping no one took his things, he walked over to the counter, ready to memorise the faces of the people he would see more often than said people would think. Keith had, of course, met Barista’s that were pretty eye-catching, with all of the moving and visitings, but despite meeting many nice ones, Keith had never tried to initiate anything with any of them, he was not going to be  _that person_. Nope.

 

“Hello, welcome to Starbucks. I don't think I've seen you before, what can I get you?” The Barista welcomes warmly when Keith finally makes it to the counter. The name tag reads ‘Hunk’.

 

Keith's eyes sweep over the menu as if he was truly considering the different types of drinks to get and, unsurprisingly, settles on the usual one. “Uh … could I get a normal black coffee?”

 

“Sure thing,” Hunk nods, his dark hair bouncing on top of his head, typing away at the register before turning to face Keith once again. “Anything to go with that?”

 

“No, thanks.”

 

“Hmm, alright. Could I get a name with your coffee, then?” Hunk asks, ready with a cup and sharpie, his smile looked so genuine that Keith let on a small smile of his own.

 

“Keith.” He replied, rocking back and forth on his heel a little. Keith usually got nervous while talking to others, people either expected too much, or too little, either annoyed him or he annoyed them. Due to all of that, Keith had always let his interactions stay to a bare minimum.

 

The Barista nods again. “Alright, Keith, just give me a minute and we'll get your coffee. You can go sit down for now, we’ll call you when your drink is ready.”

 

He’s taking the required money out of his wallet, and settling on a nod as he walks back to his seat. Obviously he knows the entire process, its pretty basic, but then again, Hunk was doing his job, and a good one it seemed, so he did not say anything else. Keith knew first hand how annoying snobby customers could be, and he did not need to dampen Hunk’s mood for no reason.

 

As he sits down, he watches Hunk tell another Barista, a brown-haired boy, to make his coffee,  _pronto._ The boy makes a funny face towards Hunk before getting the cup and filling it up with coffee. After scribbling onto the side of the cup, he calls out for Keith. “Keith!”

 

Keith lets his eyes stay trained on the counter till he reached it. “Are you Keith?” Asks the brown-haired Barista. Keith reads his tag,  _Lance,_ before looking into his blue eyes.

 

“Yeah,” He answers shortly, his hands going for his cup. Keith was just about to turn and go back to his seat when he noticed a minor mistake that made in whirl around to face Lance once again. “Did you write my name?”

 

“Sure did. Made the coffee, too. Kind of my job.” Lance responds, tipping his hat to heighten his ego, almost daring Keith to roll his eyes.

 

“Did you make the coffee wrong, too?” Keith deadpans. Someone really needed to teach this boy a thing or two about sugar coating.

 

A frown takes over Lance’s clear features. “I'm sorry, what? Dude, your coffee is kind of the easiest to make.” The barista chuckled nervously. He then looks down at the side of Keith's coffee when he turned the cup around to show Lance.

 

“Well if you can manage to mess up one of the easiest names, then you could probably mess up the easiest coffee, too.” Keith points at the word ‘ **Ketih** ’ scribbled across the cup.

 

An understanding expression replaces the frown on Lance’s face. Not that the frown had completely disappeared, if Keith had to be honest. But he was doing a pretty good job at not snapping. “Oh, sorry about that. Didn’t notice. Next time you come in I'll make sure not to spell it that way!”

 

“Right. If I ever do, or if you still have your job by then.” Keith retorted before turning around and going back to his seat. Thankfully, his things were still there. He had written five whole pages before he realised that he lost his head and basically snapped at the barista. After he does realise that, he lifts his head to find the barista, who … was not there anymore. His shift must have ended. Oh well.

 

**///**

 

“Yeah, it’ll be fine. I promise.” Keith sighed into the mic of his phone. He had returned to his and Shiro’s humble apartment after another hour of staying in the coffee shop, and as soon as he stepped in, he got a call from the devil himself.

 

Shiro could be like such an overprotective adoptive brother sometimes, and though Keith appeared annoyed at such behaviour usually, he was secretly really glad that there was someone who cared enough to worry about him. Shiro was currently doing his graduate program, trying to get his Master’s degree so that he could be officially qualified as a exploration pilot.

 

At this moment, Shiro was over at his best friend, Matt’s house. Matt, who was practically a walking meme, yet already an intern for NASA. He had been friends with Shiro for as long as Keith knew him and despite popular belief, Keith was actually pretty good friends with Matt, as well.

 

Although he spoke to Matt more, he liked to think that he was closer to Matt’s sister, Katie, who also went by ‘Pidge’ by those who were her friends. Keith and Pidge didn’t talk and hang out as best friends would, but were close enough that they could file themselves in as friends, which Keith was comfortable with.

 

If Keith was being honest, he felt like him and Matt were mainly because of Shiro, but Pidge didn’t have the same terms, so it was easier to accept Pidge was a friend that he somewhat found. The two of them had a mutual understanding over each other, and didn’t need to pretend that she was hanging out with Keith because of anyone, which put Keith to ease.

 

Just as Keith was about to hit the button that would cut their call, Shiro’s voice rang through the speaker again. “Wait. You forgot to give me the update.”

 

“Uh- wait what? Did you say something? Shiro? Hmm, I think you're cutting off, oh well, goodbye. I guess I'll call you later or something.” Keith responds, kicking off his shoes and walking over to the couch.

 

“Don't think this can get you off the hook. I know our cellular signal over there, there is no way it would be cutting off.” Shiro says. Keith is pretty sure he was shaking his head. “So just tell me.”

 

“I did not even snap this time, and it wasn't that big of a deal.” Keith started.

 

“What did you do.” Shiro asks, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips and Keith can almost see him pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

“Hey! That's not fair. Who says the other guy didn't do anything?” Keith frowns, picking up the television remote. He keeps the sound muted while flipping through the channels for something interesting so that he can still listen to Shiro.

 

“Just a second, I’m talking to Keith.” Shiro yells to Matt, who was asking what’s been taking Shiro so long, before addressing Keith again. “Well given your past encounters-, just tell me what happened, Keith, Matt’s getting impatient and our games already hooked up.”

 

“Fine, fine.” He gives in. “The new Starbucks dude spelled my name wrong. I mean, who spells Keith with a K-E-T-I-H. That wouldn't even sound like Keith. It would be like … ‘kee-tie’. Anyways, so I asked if he made the coffee wrong, too, and told him I might not ever come back to that coffee shop and that if or when I did, he might already get fired. Happy?” Keith rolls his eyes, even though Shiro can't see him. “Anyways, now go, your  _Mario doom_ is calling.”

 

“He- Matt’s probably forgotten about the incident!” Shiro hissed into the phone quietly. “But that's better than what you did last time, so I guess I can let this one slide. You don’t realise it yet, but honestly, Matt’s probably going to tell you soon, and then you’re going to owe me a lot. Just control your jets, alright?”

 

“Okay,  _dad,_ ” Keith says, ignoring the comment about Matt. If Shiro said Matt would probably tell him soon, he definitely would. Right before he ends the call, he adds; “and don’t worry, if he’s forgotten, I’ll remind him.”

 

After sending a short text to Matt, he turns the sound of the television back on, cackling to himself, right before receiving a text from Shiro.

 

**from: Taka-shit:**

_You better sleep with both eyes closed tonight so I can kill you without much of a hassle._

  
  


**_Day two, Keith:_ **

 

Although Keith had implied he wouldn’t be back at the Starbucks for a while, he ended up walking in there exactly at the same time the next day. Maybe it was the guilt eating away at him, but if you asked him, he would claim it was not.

 

Keith frowned to himself when he did not see the same mop of brown hair behind the counter.  _Well, it won’t hurt to wait just this once, would it?_ Keith thought to himself, sitting down on a table and taking his phone out to scroll through his social media apps which he checks every … what? three months? A bad habit, he knew, even worse for the people that were actually still bothering to talk to him. He apologised every time, and they forgave him each time, making him feel worse.

 

Half an hour had passed, and it seemed that the barista,  _Lance,_ he reminds himself, still did not show up. Aw man, had he really lost his job? Keith actually hoped not. That would make him feel unbelievably terrible. Slightly anxious, he slowly wads over to the counter. One familiar face  _is_ present, Hunk.

 

“Oh, hey.” The nice barista from yesterday greets, although his cheer is dimmer than yesterday. “Keith, right?”

 

“Yeah.” Keith nods. “By the way … is Lance … uh, still working here?”

 

“Lance?” Hunk asks, his eyebrows shooting upwards and disappear into his bangs. “Yeah, man. Lance does still work here. But his shift already ended like an hour ago, so … if you were looking for him, you kind of missed the chance. But if you were just clarifying whether or not he was still employed, well, that I can help you with.”

 

Oh God, did Hunk know about what happened? Embarrassed, he rubs the back of his neck. “Oh … so you know about what happened?”

 

“Well I mean yeah, I was right there. Not right there right there, I mean I was standing by, although,” Hunk rambles, and Keith was grateful that he went to ask about this when the coffee shop was not too full of people. “I didn’t really hear anything, Lance just huffed to me about it the rest of the day, so, you know, I know.”

 

“Right,” Keith nods, as if he’d understood everything and did not get confused halfway through. Something about not hearing and hearing and huffing. “Anyway, I guess I’ll just come tomorrow, then? I wanted to apologize to him, but can’t really do that if he’s not here.”

 

At that, Hunk finally flashes on his smile. Ah, Hunk wasn’t being too warm on Keith because of the incident yesterday, that would explain a lot. Maybe the tan boy and Hunk were good friends? “Oh, dude. That’s awesome. If you want, I could pass on the apology for you?” He offered.

 

“Nah, it’s alright, I’ll do it myself,” Keith shakes his head, thinking of Shiro. “I’ll have to be back tomorrow whether it’s for the apology or not, I’ve got another project coming up so, you know,”

 

“Oh yeah I totally get that,” Hunk assures. “But I’ll let you in on something,” He says more quietly, leaning forward on the counter, making Keith do the same out of curiosity. “Lance has another shift tonight. Eight P.M.”

  
  


Needless to say, he orders a slice of cake after that and goes back to the apartment, planning to wait for the clock to strike eight. Shiro, however, comes back at six P.M. and asks what he’s doing sitting upside down on the couch. “If you stay like that, all the blood’s gonna rush to your head and you could get brain hemorrhage.”

 

“I’ve done this enough times and haven’t once got that. Maybe I’m immune to brain hemorrhage.” Keith counters despite already getting up to sit cross legged on top of the couch, watching Shiro take off his jacket and crash onto the couch, next to him. “Anyway, how’s Matt?”

 

“No one’s immune to brain hemorrhage, Keith, you might have gotten lucky so far, but just be careful, okay?” Shiro shakes his head. “Matt’s fine, but he’s still laughing about y-” Shiro frowns as his ringtone interrupts him. He takes his phone out of his pocket and sighs. “Speak of the devil,” He mutters, before tossing the phone over to Keith.

 

Keith sees a really unpleasant closeup of Matt’s face take over the phone screen, alongside his caller ID, and accepts the call. “Shiro,” Matt starts, sounding like he’s wheezing. “Give the phone over to Keith.”

 

“You’re talking to him, idiot,” Keith answers, already dreading where this conversation was taking them.

 

“Dude, I cannot believe what you did,” Yeah, Matt was definitely wheezing. “Man, I was so scared that I would lose the bet I made with Shiro, because you were coming dangerously close to going three weeks without unnecessarily snapping at a stranger. But  _damn,_ you broke that to insult some poor barista who accidentally messed up your name as almost every starbucks barista does?”

 

Keith purses his lips and sets a deadpan expression, directed at Shiro who puts his hands up in surrender. “Well, in my defense, I did not know you had a bet going on with my idiot brother, I would have gone way longer had I known.”

 

“Exactly! See, if you knew, it would just take the entire edge of fun out of it.” Matt counters. Keith can hear paper shifting around in the background.

 

“Whatever, Matt, I had solid excuses to snap at the guy.” He parries, as Shiro gets off the couch and disappears into the kitchen. Most likely to find food they’ve both been telling themselves they would buy. “Keith is literally one of the most common names. Even if he spelt it with the I before E, I would’ve understood.”

 

“Well, yeah, but the Starbucks employees always somehow manage to mess up the spelling. One time, I got my coffee served to me as ‘M-A-T-H-E’. Like honestly, what even? I didn’t even say my Mathematics Holt joke that time. But you know what I did not do? I did not tell the barista they were losing their job because of spelling my very common name incorrectly.”

 

“Shove off. And don’t you have to finish your big assignment or whatever? So bye.” Before Matt can protest from the other side, Keith hangs up on him and throws the phone back to Shiro who had just reappeared into the living room with his ‘I forgot to buy the food but I promise to do it tomorrow’ expression.

 

At eight twenty-five, Keith opens the door to the coffee shop, hearing the familiar jingle go off. Unlike yesterday, the blue eyed boy is now situated at the cash counter instead of the coffee making station.

 

Usually, Keith would probably just go to him and apologise to get it over with, but something in him tells him to not leave it so quick. “Hi. Can I get a black coffee?” He asks, before Lance can notice he’s in, instead.

 

“Sure, who should I send it-,” The brown-haired boy has started, until he finally looked at Keith, his expression souring, which, honestly, made Keith wince. “Oh.”

 

“Keith,” He supplied, like the little nuisance he was. “It’s for Keith, K-E-I-T-H.”

 

“You want me to let someone else make your coffee?” Lance asks, a glint in his eyes that dares Keith to jab him.

 

“No, that’s alright, I think you’ll do it fine.” Keith shrugs before taking the money out of his wallet and offering it to Lance. The male, in turn, narrows his eyes at Keith, nevertheless accepts it and gets a cup to fill it up with coffee.

 

Keith watches Lance scribble on the side of the cup and then hand it over to him. “Here you go, have a nice day.”

 

Instead of turning back and leaving, Keith scratches the back of his neck and braces himself. Better to get it over with. “I also wanted to apologize for what I said yesterday, that was very … uncool of me to say so.” Keith’s eyes trail down to his cup where he can read ‘K-I-T-H’. Oh the devil, Lance definitely did it on purpose this time. The last thing Keith says before turning around and leaving is, “But thank you for the coffee,  _Lace_.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for giving this fanfic a chance


End file.
